Tips On How To Ensure Successful Swim Lessons

Nadyne with Swim Kids of Georgia put together this very helpful video and article to share her tips on “how to ensure successful swim lessons.” Listen in for what she has to say. And then scroll down for those of you who like reading it written out 🙂

Guide to Successful Swimming Lessons (for you and your child)

  “Of course, SAFETY first, but, make swim lessons fun. Not every child will develop into an Olympic swimmer, but parents should always encourage and praise basic skills.”
 Your decision to enroll your child in swimming lessons is one of the best you’ve made. Swimming has many great physical benefits. Private lessons mean one-to-one attention and as they progress, being in a class setting will teach them other skills and has many social advantages.
FIRST DAY OF SWIM LESSONS: Children are often nervous for their first day of swim lessons, even if they have taken them before.  They are going into a new environment with a new person.  Or, it is something completely foreign to them and something new is always daunting.
In most cases, you would have met your instructor and found out what you need for lessons prior to starting day, however, if this is not the case, try and get it done. Make sure you confirm what your child needs or does not need and make sure you have read and signed the parent handbook and safety guidelines.

Before signing up and scheduling your lessons, take the following in to account:

• Locations – if the swim school is not convenient for you and your little one to get to, you will start finding excuses not to come.
• Plan accordingly by taking into consideration their naptime, other activities, and snack times
• Ask questions – don’t be afraid to ask questions – if you don’t ask, you won’t know
• Flotation Devices should be left at home
• Pool water temperature is important to ensure swimmers are not too cold and uncomfortable and warm water helps to ensure this.

Follow these simple, yet handy tips:

1 – Arrive early – this way they can get a feel for their surrounds, meet the instructor (if you haven’t already), get them ready and so on. Make sure you have all you need and a little extra if need be, like goggles, a towel a post lesson snack, water bottle and a change of clothes. Don’t be late, being late is stressful for everyone involved.
2 – Keep your distance – We don’t want you to feel left out, but it is of utmost importance that you allow your swim instructor to do the teaching. That is after all, why you are here. Hand your child to the instructor, take a step back and watch as they learn. Your being too close is a distraction for our little swimmer and as much as you want to be attentive, the instructor requires the child’s full attention.
3 – Crying Swimmers – Nerves and uncertainty will cause some little swimmers to cry. It’s okay! Stay calm. The best thing is to do here as a parent is to have the instructor soothe them. This allows them to build a sense of trust and their bond will begin. When the lesson is over, you can tell them how proud you are.
4 – Safety & Rules – Make sure you have reviewed and understand all the safety rules and, depending on your child’s age, have explained these to them too. Your safety is our first priority and these rules and regulations are there to ensure a great experience for everyone at our pool.
5 – Feedback & Questions – Your child should look forward to swimming lessons and your feedback is extremely important for us to improve. However, questions, concerns and feedback should always wait till after your lesson. Interrupting a lesson to express a concern or opinion is both disruptive and counter-productive for all involved.
6 – Parent coaching – You are paying a professional to teach your child to swim, let them do their job. Do not coach from the side-lines. Keep your praises to a minimum – work with your instructor to ensure you are offering praise at the right time for the right skill.
Stick to these basic tips and you and your little swimmer are sure to have a whale of a time at any swim school of your choosing. For further information on our swim school, head on over to www.swimkidsofgeorgia.com. We’d love to welcome you to our swim family! -Nadyne

Learn More About Nadyne Siegel-Brown (Owner) at SwimKids of Georgia:

 

Nadyne has been teaching aquatic survival since 1987, dedicating her life to saving children from drowning. Her focus is on teaching infants, toddlers and young children proper survival skills and educating parents and caregivers on the layers of aquatic protection. Her passion is contagious, and most of her young students develop a love for swimming, which translates to a lifelong sport for health and well-being.
A message from Nadyne: Growing up in Central Florida, water has always been a huge part of my life. In 1986 I was introduced to aquatic self rescue for infants and toddlers when I enrolled my 18 month old in such a program. I was a water baby and that’s what I wanted for my son. Watching Jacob’s aquatic transformation inspired me to become an instructor. Searching for a gentler and more comprehensive approach to teaching swimming, Aquatic Specialist of Atlanta and then SwimKids of Georgia was born. Today, I am continuously honing my skills by learning new and innovative ways of teaching swimming from other instructors in the aquatics field. My young students never cease to amaze me with their aquatic abilities and their love for the water.
Over the years, I have received calls and letters from parents whose children have experienced an aquatic accident. Whether at a pool, lake, or hot tub, parents are incredibly relieved to find that their children have saved themselves. “The lessons really work!” It also gives me great pleasure to see so many of my students move on to competitive swimming both on summer and year round teams. The satisfaction gained from working with these children is the reward for all my efforts, and I look forward to waking up and going to work every day. I want to thank you for your interest in SwimKids of Georgia home of Infant Aquatic and I hope that you will take the steps to give your child the edge that could possibility save his/her life.
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“The world is covered with water and I can’t believe how many people can’t swim. I want to change that. That’s how I change the world – one swimmer at a time.” – Nadyne Siegel-Brown